SCHOOL LIBRARIES RESOURCES & INFORMATION.

Resource Link Category

Information literacy for School Libraries

Information literacy begins with an information need, a problem to solve, a question, or a sense of curiosity. The learner develops a plan to access and locate data, information, and ideas, and then uses strategic reading skills to understand various kinds of information in different media formats. Comprehension is followed by judgment the evaluation of information against criteria (e.g., authority, credibility, relevance). Then, using ict technology tools, information is extracted, manipulated, ordered, and analyzed so that the learner can synthesize, create, assess, and apply. The product of this information literacy process answers a question, solves a problem, or communicates information to an authentic audience, often beyond the teacher. To support such learning, the school digital infrastructure and technology services must be reliable, responsive, and flexible.

Resources

A research directed by Keith Curry Lance, reveals correlations between library-related factors (library budgets,technology presence, collection size, and staffing size) and higher student achievement,notably in test performance in reading. Also of special note, Stephen Krashen's rigorousscientific analysis reveals that student access to and extensive use of resources in printand information-rich environments is correlated with reading achievement. Vocabulary,grammar, comprehension, and motivation show powerful improvements when studentsare allowed to choose their reading material.

Some state's poor academic performance can be related to its print-poor environment and a perilous pattern of spending which ranks their school libraries at the bottom of the nation.

A comparison of the ratio of library media teachers to students ranks California school
libraries as last among the states. While some states mandate the presence of library
media professionals at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, some do not.
While some states staff their high schools with a library director plus one library media
teacher for each of the disciplines being taught at school, some do not.
When professional library staff collaborates with teachers, when students have access to
quality and diversity of reading and information resources, and when voluntary reading of self-selectedmaterials is encouraged, achievement is higher despite students' socioeconomic status. Where school libraries are strong, their students, staff, and community become proficient readers who can skillfully access, evaluate, and use information. Our students deserve no less.

Dealing with Challenges School districts will be better prepared for dealing with challenges if guidelines for policy are very specific, challengers are given their fair say, and such challenged materials are examined on the merits of the resource. The last thing that should happen in a challenge process is that an adversarial role is established between concerned parties – principal vs. parent, or library media teacher vs. parent, or administration, etc.Read Further